Each year, on the first Friday in August, beer aficionados around the globe raise a glass in celebration of International Beer Day.
International Beer Day was first celebrated in 2008. It was created by Jesse Avshalomov and a group of his friends in Santa Cruz, California, who decided to embrace the summer weather and “bring the world together by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures on one remarkable day.” What started as a local event has blossomed into an international sensation that is now celebrated in more than 100 countries, including the United States, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, and Lithuania among others.
According to its founders, “International Beer Day is a global celebration of beer, taking place in pubs, breweries, and backyards all over the world. It’s a day for beer lovers everywhere to raise a toast to our brewers and bartenders and rejoice in the greatness of beer!”
Bars around the world celebrate this auspicious day with all-day happy hours, the tapping of special and rare beers, and special events like beer pong tournaments. The team behind International Beer Day suggests visiting your local pub, buying a round for your friends, trying beer from other cultures, and thanking your local brewers and bartenders—the heroes of the beer world.
We’ll drink to that!
International Beer Day is typically celebrated worldwide.